Bear School Astartes

”He is Lann, he jumped down with us from the back of the Molten Mountain Dragon! He’s a really powerful hunter!”

Aibo said to the Commander-in-Chief while rubbing Gaffi’s furry belly.

Beside the Commander-in-Chief, Little Jack also reported with a business-like attitude.

”Indeed, very powerful. When Lann first arrived at the new continent, he nearly managed to take off one of the Barbaric Jaws Dragon’s hind legs in less than two minutes after being ambushed.”

”Two minutes?”

The person in full armor who came along with the Commander-in-Chief couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

Although the helmet concealed his face, the voice sounded older, likely the same age as the Commander-in-Chief.

”The young man used a great sword, right? Otherwise, in two minutes... no way that ’bandit’s’ toughness could be broken in just two minutes.”

Besides the common names and scientific names, hunters often give monsters distinctive nicknames.

The Barbaric Jaws Dragon was called ’Forest Bandit’ by them.

”It’s not about relying on brute force, the key is to seize the right moment.”

This time, it wasn’t Little Jack speaking. He had nothing to add, since he hadn’t seen the situation clearly when Lann repelled the Barbaric Jaws Dragon.

It was Lann himself speaking, and as he spoke, his cat-like eyes were thoughtfully observing the elderly man in full armor and the long sword behind him.

Strangely, Lann could sense... this guy is strong!

Moreover, he’s strong in terms of skill!

”With dozens of tons of its own weight, as long as you grasp the moment when its center of gravity adjusts itself, and apply a suitable amount of force in the right place, it will cause itself to collapse.”

As Lann looked over, the armored man subconsciously adjusted his stance. Although it was only for an instant, after a moment, he adjusted back again.

But Lann saw clearly that just now, the old man instinctively wanted to draw his sword.

And now, the eyes beneath the helmet were also carefully studying Lann.

Speaking of which, this style of combat really doesn’t seem like a great sword user, seems more like...

He instinctively touched the sheath of the curved sword hanging from behind his left hip.

Before he could think further, the Commander-in-Chief suddenly interjected.

”Encountering a new type of monster and severely injuring the Barbaric Jaws Dragon within two minutes, that’s indeed top-tier hunter skills. But now the question is... you’re not a member of the expedition team, right, Lann?”

”Eh?!”

”Meow?”

Among the people present, those whose faces were visible showed various degrees of surprise.

Aibo was the most exaggerated, her straightforward nature couldn’t help but exclaim aloud.

And the cat being cuddled in her arms turned its head, its large, watery eyes looking at Lann, as a little ginger-colored paw scratched its ear.

”I’ve memorized the list of all dispatched members of the Fifth Period Team, paying special attention to powerful hunters, and your name was not among them.”

”Even now, all the members of the Fifth Period Team have arrived at Star Base, even counting by numbers, none are missing. So you definitely aren’t one of the Fifth Period Team members.”

The Commander-in-Chief confidently stated his reasoning.

As the subject being exposed, Lann’s left hand instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword.

The New Continent Expedition Team, a name that sounds like some large force organized to explore and expand territories.

And someone inexplicably slipped in!

From Lann’s experience, this indicated things might not end well.

If this new continent is a secret exclusive to the organization above the expedition team, then killing to silence someone is a common option.

For this reason, although Lann felt during previous contact, whether it’s Aibo, Wende, or Little Jack. They were all straightforward, expressing directly from their hearts.

Surprisingly simple-minded.

Yet, he still prepared for battle.

But what made Lann feel unusual afterward was...

Logically, whether it was Wende, whom Lann deemed strong, or the fully armored old man. Given their level, they should have reacted at the moment Lann expressed resistance and vigilance.

However, until Lann gripped the sword hilt, these people didn’t show the same level of combat intent.

Instead... they seemed shocked.

”Do you want to fight with us?”

The Commander-in-Chief’s dark face furrowed deeply, his expression nearly incomprehensible.

”Why?”

Lann was also confused.

What ’why’? You are colonizers stepping onto the new continent! You’re asking me why?

But, the collective emotional perception ability of the Sons of the Emperor allowed Lann to confirm.

This group... even until now, they just found it absurd, and weren’t prepared to launch an attack.

Amidst a moment of ’Is it you who is strange? Or is it me?’, Lann blinked, releasing the grip on the sword hilt.

”Gurgle gurgle~”

At this moment, an awkward sound of intestinal movement came from the side, during this delicate moment, everyone’s attention was drawn toward the source of the sound.

Gaffi, held in front by Aibo, was now being stared at.

Its ginger-colored little cat face initially looked around in confusion, then quickly realized, letting out a ’meow’, wriggling to escape from Aibo’s embrace, indicating it had nothing to do with the noise.

Aibo smiled awkwardly: ”How about... we eat first?”

Aside from Wende and Gaffi, who simultaneously covered their foreheads, the others nodded blankly.

-----------------

At the Star Base, besides the large ship placed horizontally atop the mountain, the next highest level was set by hunters as an open-air restaurant.

Today was originally meant to host a banquet to welcome the reinforcements of the Fifth Period Team.

Now, both members of the recommended group were present, and the Fifth Period Team, which had lost a ship due to the sudden appearance of the Molten Mountain Dragon, felt at ease.

The Star Base’s restaurant was known as ’Weapons and Mountain Cat Pavilion.’

It seemed to be geared toward quickly producing high-calorie food, the restaurant mainly used stone slabs for grilling and had an oven that could fit an entire herbivorous dragon!

The charcoal burned red-hot inside the grill, while ingredients to be roasted were positioned accordingly, letting the oven’s internal temperature quickly process them.

Beside it were several oversized clay pots used for soup.

The area around the stone slab grill was enclosed like an open bar. Diners could eat directly sitting here or at the surrounding small tables.

These tables and chairs were made from solid stone, matching Lann’s stereotypical impression of hunters who form quickly.

As for the restaurant’s name, the meaning of ’Weapons’ needs no explanation; it’s nearly synonymous with hunters.

And ’Mountain Cat,’ well...

”Come on, little ones! Let’s roast another dragon!”

”Meow!”*N

A variety of colorful, big and small cats scurried between the cooking tools.

Responding to the call of their head chef among them.

They wore heat-resistant gloves on their small paws and headbands on their heads.

Lann was curious how these cats managed to uniformly wrap their triangular ears with the headbands.

And the head chef of these kitty chefs was about one and a half meters tall, nearly twice the size of the average cat. Muscular, and seemed to have lost an eye in battle!

At the welcome banquet, however, the table of the Commander-in-Chief appeared somewhat heavy in atmosphere.